The Luna Choosing Game

Chapter 0571

They're not lies.

Julian didn't say anything after that. Though, neither did I. I just gawked at him while he stared down at his bloody mary.

I wanted to ask him to go into more detail. If he could specifically tell me which of the things Bridget said weren't lies, I wouldn't be on such a downward spiral of thoughts. I wouldn't be trying so hard to bend over backwards to convince myself that Julian didn't actually have a crush on me somehow.

But, I supposed deep down, I already knew the truth. Not all that long ago, we had a similar talk on the beach as Julian threw rocks and shells into the ocean waves.

Yet here, in the quiet of the deck in this mid-morning, with Julian already halfway through a blood mary, everything felt a bit more dire, a bit more real.

This wasn't about getting over Bridget or trying to move on. Bridget had very little to do with this at all. This time, Julian's feelings were his own. And those feelings were all tangled up over me.

And now, because of that, I had to face my own true feelings as well. It would be unfair to Julian not to consider how I felt about him while he was being honest with how he felt about me.

Truthfully, even upon reflection, I didn't know how I felt about Julian. I cared about him, certainly. He was funny and loyal. He protected me and looked out for me in his own way. He was good with Elva, always trying to treat her sleight of hand and card tricks.

He was handsome too. Leaner than Nicholas, but with a similar features. Although Julian always leaned more toward the 'I got out of bed looking like this' vibe, where Nicholas was always crisply dressed and put together.

If I hadn't known Nicholas first, I could have easily been swept up in the whirlwind that was Prince Julian. He was certain to give his partner a life of adventure and joy and excitement. Content belong to NôvelDráma. Org.

But I had known Nicholas first. And I fell in love with Nicholas. My feelings for Nicholas were so strong, that I genuinely doubted if I would ever be able to give my heart to anyone else, even if Nicholas and I were to separate.

My heart would always be his. I wasn't sure I would even try to find another. How unfair would it be to be the love of someone else's life when they could never be anything but second best?

charming, smart, great with kids. He deserved better than to live in the shadow of his older

a dear friend. One

want

softly, I didn't realize he was speaking at first. I had to strain

being so brave to voice them.

observant of our group, and he was, I wasn't exactly subtle with my feelings,

"I'm sorry," I said.

can't

grateful to him, but didn't say so. I

bloody mary. After a time, he said, "I would appreciate it if we could ignore everything that

what we are to

"You are a

a touch shakier than usual, he seemed relieved as well. "I'm glad. Thank

feel as heavy as the one before. It felt a bit as if, with the air cleared, things were falling back into their

and leave this behind us, so I brought up the

Bridget of knowing Prince Ronan," I said.

he groaned. "Well, I'm glad I guess. I was hoping to uncover everything before I came to you, but maybe it's for the best you know

leaned forward with my elbows on the railing,

that Bridget and Ronan might have dated in the past. It's shaky evidence at best. A few photos snapped from a

was evidence impossible

that alone is not enough to prove her guilty of conspiring to send Ronan after you," Julian continued, "But it is damn suspicious. She's also stonewalling me. If she wasn't guilty, wouldn't she want to help catch the

sense his frustration, and I

The only reason I could think

relationship with Prince Ronan was if she was actually in love with him and trying to protect